Heritage World Coin Auctions
ANA Signature Sale 3094 19-20 Aug 2021
View prices realized
► Sale information
Find similar lots
Ancients
Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus (AD 913-959), with Romanus I Lecapenus (AD 920-944) or Romanus II (after AD 945). AV solidus (21mm, 4.41 gm, 6h). NGC Choice AU 5/5 - 4/5. Constantinople, AD 943-944 (?). + IhS XPS RЄX-RЄϚNANTIЧm, full length figure of Christ seated facing on throne with curved back, wearing nimbus cruciger, pallium and colobium, right hand raised in benediction, book of Gospels cradled in left / + COhStAhtIhOS CЄ RO-MAh' Єh' Xw b' R', crowned, standing facing figures of Constantine VII (on right), bearded, wearing loros with cross on sleeve, and Romanus II (shorter, on left), wearing chlamys with cross on front, both on rectangular dais, globus cruciger in outer hand, jointly holding long patriarchal cross with globular terminus between them. Sear 1749. DOC (Constantine VII and Romanus I) 10. A superb example of this very rare issue.
This rare type is controversial, with DOC and others giving it to Romanus I and Constantine, while Sear attributes it to Constantine and Romanus II (AD 945-963). The main difficulty is that the name of Constantine comes first, but the beardless figure on the left (indicating primacy) is clearly smaller and younger than the figure on the right, a position usually reserved for the subsidiary ruler. On the surface this would seem to indicate the younger figure is Constantine VII and the elder Romanus I, and point to an issue early in the joint reign. Other factors, including the ornate and much more evolved figure of Christ, seem to indicate a issue from much later in the reign, after Romanus I was deposed (in December AD 944) and Constantine's son Romanus II was raised to the purple (in April AD 945). These factors seem to point to a special ceremonial issue, supported by the fact that the coins are of unusually fine style and struck on broad flans; also, the design depicts the two Imperial figures standing on a raised dais. Pending further study and/or discoveries, the jury remains in session.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/byzantine/ancients-constantine-vii-porphyrogenitus-ad-913-959-with-romanus-i-lecapenus-ad-920-944-or-romanus-ii-after-ad/a/3094-34320.s?type=CoinArchives3094
HID02906262019
© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 4000-6000 USD
Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus (AD 913-959), with Romanus I Lecapenus (AD 920-944) or Romanus II (after AD 945). AV solidus (21mm, 4.41 gm, 6h). NGC Choice AU 5/5 - 4/5. Constantinople, AD 943-944 (?). + IhS XPS RЄX-RЄϚNANTIЧm, full length figure of Christ seated facing on throne with curved back, wearing nimbus cruciger, pallium and colobium, right hand raised in benediction, book of Gospels cradled in left / + COhStAhtIhOS CЄ RO-MAh' Єh' Xw b' R', crowned, standing facing figures of Constantine VII (on right), bearded, wearing loros with cross on sleeve, and Romanus II (shorter, on left), wearing chlamys with cross on front, both on rectangular dais, globus cruciger in outer hand, jointly holding long patriarchal cross with globular terminus between them. Sear 1749. DOC (Constantine VII and Romanus I) 10. A superb example of this very rare issue.
This rare type is controversial, with DOC and others giving it to Romanus I and Constantine, while Sear attributes it to Constantine and Romanus II (AD 945-963). The main difficulty is that the name of Constantine comes first, but the beardless figure on the left (indicating primacy) is clearly smaller and younger than the figure on the right, a position usually reserved for the subsidiary ruler. On the surface this would seem to indicate the younger figure is Constantine VII and the elder Romanus I, and point to an issue early in the joint reign. Other factors, including the ornate and much more evolved figure of Christ, seem to indicate a issue from much later in the reign, after Romanus I was deposed (in December AD 944) and Constantine's son Romanus II was raised to the purple (in April AD 945). These factors seem to point to a special ceremonial issue, supported by the fact that the coins are of unusually fine style and struck on broad flans; also, the design depicts the two Imperial figures standing on a raised dais. Pending further study and/or discoveries, the jury remains in session.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/byzantine/ancients-constantine-vii-porphyrogenitus-ad-913-959-with-romanus-i-lecapenus-ad-920-944-or-romanus-ii-after-ad/a/3094-34320.s?type=CoinArchives3094
HID02906262019
© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 4000-6000 USD